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V. A. FYNN.

IGNITION CONTROLLING SWITCH. APPLICATION men ms. r, 1918.

1,354,90 Patented 0011.5,1920.

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IV I TNESS UNITED STATES" :VALEBE A. FYNN. OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI.ASSIGNOR T0 WAGNER ELECTRIC MANU- PATENT OFFICE.

FAUT'URING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPURATION OF MISSOURI.

IGNITION-CONTROLLING SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed March 7, 1918. Serial No. 221,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VALIJRE A. .FYNN, a

subject of the King of England, residing at the- .cityof St. Louis,State of Missouri, United States of America, have invented a certain newand useful Ignition-Controlling Switch, of which the following is such afull, clear, and exact description as will enable 3113 510116 skilled inthe art to which it appertains to makeiand use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawin s, forming part of this specification.

-invent1on relates to a switch for controlling the ignition circuit ofan internal combustion engine and is more particularly adapted .tobevused in connection with-a battery ignition system;

The object of the invention is to automatically disconnect the source ofenergy from the i nition circuit, when the engine speed falls e'low itslowest operating speed or when the engine comes to rest.

My invention will bebetterunderstood by i reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 shows one form of my improvedignition switch as applied to a battery'ignition, starting and li htingsystem for use:on automobiles, while *ig. 2

is an ex' lanatory diagram; Fig. 3 illustrates a modi cation.

.In a battery ignition system, the current taken by the spark coilvaries greatly accordins to the speed at which the timer is driven. Thespeed of the timer depends on the speed of the engine. With the enginestanding still, the current taken by the spark coil is amaximum. As thespeed increases, this current diminishes rapidly at first, and thenslowly, as indicated by curve 33 of Fig. 2. The slow change in thecurrent takes place at speeds exceeding the lowest operating speed ofthe engine. This speed'is, as a rule, only'a small :'PGI' cent. of themaximum speed at which the engine runs in normal op'eration, asindicated by the/dotted lines 34 and 35 of Fig. 2,

i where the line 34 marks the lowest and the circuit interruption causedby the timer. .These interruptions-produce the same e'fi'ect as achangein the impedance of the circuit. As long as the engine revolves,the current in the ignition circuit is a pulsatlng one, the

frequency of the pulsations being proportional to the speed.

It is apparent from Fig. 2, that a coil which is designed to operatenear the safe temperature limit under normal working conditions, is veryliable to become overheated and damaged in case the ignition circuit isnot interrupted after the engine comes to a stand-still. In such casethe-coil will be subject to an abnormal and excessive current and thedrain on the battery may be so great as to entirely discharge same in ashort space of time. y improved ignition switch is adapted to preventthe occurrence of these conditions.

In carrying out this invention, I provide an electromagnetic ignitionswitch, which-is normally open but which can be closed by hand or byenergizing one of its magnetizing windings and which opens automaticallyas soon as the frequency of the current interruptions in the ignitioncircuit has fallen below a predetermined limit or has become zero andthe current in said circuit has vided with a shunt winding, a'serleswinding, and a short-circuited winding. The spring tends to keep thearmature away from the electromagnet and holds the ignition circuitopen. The shunt winding is adapted to be connected to the battery andi-arries a constant current when its circuit is com-= pleted. Itscircuit is normally open, but is completed when the ignition switch isclosed. The series winding is included in the primary or low tensionignition circuit, and, therefore, carries a pulsating current when theengine revolves and a constant unidirectional current when the engine isat rest and the ignition circuit closed. The series winding is connectedto oppose the magnetization produced by the shunt winding, and the.number of its turns is so chosen that the magnetization of the shuntwinding is equaled when the engine is not running or is revolvin at aspeed below its lowest operatin speed.

ince the ignition switch should not be closed until the engine iscranked to start it, I prefer to so arrange the circuit closing switchof the starting motor that when it closes the starting circuit, it alsoclosesthe reduce' the impedance of the series winding "bf'the x apidlwindingi This screening efiect will diminsh "be connected to circuit bymeans of the switch 30. The bata well known manner,

the other. "connect-the winding 4 to the spark plugs 6 to a r 8 throughthewindmg F Q. circuit of the shunt winding on the automatic switch, Theclosing of the shunt wi c'ircilit closes the ignition switch, whichcompletes the i ition circuit when the timer is closed. Vl hen theenginefires and the starting switch is released, the shunt winding, thecircuit of which is now also closed throng the contacts of the ignitionswitch, remains closed as long as the engine speed keeps above thecritical or that for which the arutonmtic 'switchi isset to open.

In order to minimize-the'effect of the ignition current in' the'serieswinding of the automatic switch at high speeds and increase it at'lowspeeds, and also in order to to a: minimuni,'.I' provide ashort-'circuited windington the automatic switch, and place saihc' litthe closest possible inductive relationto the" series winding! Thisshort-cir cuited winding will not have any effect on the magnetizationproduced-by the shunt wnrding when SiiIldWind'lhg isconnected to produces eonstant mag'netization, but it will tend to suppress the magnetizingefiect y varying current in the series with-decreasing frequency oi thevariations of the current and disappear entirely when the currentinterruptions cease.

In Fig.1 the storage battery 8 is permanently connected to-the main 36of thelightingcrrcuit comprising'the' lamps 31 and can the other mam 37ofxsaid teryf is also permanently connected to one -pole of the directcurrent engine driven lighting and charging generator 23, 24. Thisgenerator is ada be "to beconhected of thwbattery by means of a batteryswitch 27 of lmown construction,-which closes when thegenerator voltagereaches a certain value and opens when said'volfiage falls below.thebattery voltage. Then this automatic battery switch is closed thegenerator and: the battery cooperate in the generator charging'thebattery and supplying such consumption circuits as are connected, or theconsumption circuit or circuits receive part of their energy from thebattery and part of it from the: generator. The high tension winding 4of the ignition circuit is grounded at one end and connected: to'theengine driven distributor 5 at This distributer is adapted toin-theusual way.

" The low tens'ion'i 'nition circuit can be traced from the positivepole 41 of the hat- 3 ofthe spark coi the timer 7" and back to thenegative E3010 of the battery in one of three paths. ither by way of t espring controlled normally open switch' 40, or by way? of the I nectedto its 1 by means of an-engine hand, the spring arcing, suchas carboning and ignition spring controlled and normally open starting switch 10and the contacts 11, 12 thereof, or by way of the contacts 17, 18 of theautomatic ignition switch 16, the series windin 1 1 on said switch andthe spring controllec and normally closed switch 39.

The automatic ignition switch also carries a shunt winding 15, one cndoi which is permanently connected to the positive pole of the battery,while the other end can be connegative pole without passing through thetimer 7, andeither by way of the normally closed switch 39, the winding14: of the automatic ignition switch and the contacts 17,- 18 thereott,or by way of the starting switch 10 and itscontacts 11, 12, orthroughthe normally open switch 40;

The timer 7' is operated in the'usu'al way driven cam. When the engineisat rest, this timer may be open 385 or closed, depending on the positionin which the engine comes to rest.

Switch 39 is intended to be operated by to keep it :closed.

trolling it tending to keep it open. The starting switch 10 is normallyheld open by means of the'spring 9. Itcan be closed by hand, inwhich.case'it not only connects one A end of the shunt winding 15 to thenegative pole of the battery 8,but also completes the j circuit ofthetcranking motor 21, 22 which with an armature adapted to'cooperatewith 1 the core-20 and carrying a pair of movable contacts adapted tocooperate with a couple of stationary ones 17,18. hen two groups ofcontacts are used one is arranged to close beforeand to open after theother and may be provided with a. tip adapted to withstand tips, forexample. One group of contacts may be used instead of two. Iii-additionto the shunt winding 15 andthes'eries w nding'l l, the core also carriesa permanently short-circuited winding 38, diagrammatically shown as asingle closed loop. In practice one would use a more efiicient form ofshort-circuit, such for instance as a solid'copper cylinder sur-.

rounding the core 20' and located under the series coil 14.

The operation of the improved ignition switch in connection with thestarting, lightsystem. with which it is illustrated in Fig.- 1 is asfollows:

1 'Withwthe-engine atrest-, the timer '7 may baa-open or closed.

the starting-switch opengthe switch- 39 will-be The battery switch 27,10and the auxiliary switch 40' will be controlling same tending Theswitch 40 is also nT-' ranged for hand operatiomthe spring conclosedandwe will assume the automatic switch 16to be open. If the engine is to becranked by hand, the auxiliary switch 40 is held .closed until theengine fires. The clos- 5 ingiof this switch completes the circuits :be-

tween the battery andthe winding. 1510f the i :switchzlfi-causingsaidswitch to. Ol0S6. ':'-Tl1iS places the timer in controloftheignition circuits UAIS the :enginef ;revolved,I. ,1 the.wwindingildrisenergizediby thei nition' current. ..'When the enginefires an reachesits I idling speed orrexceedsusame; theswitchAO .may bereleased without fear ofthe switch 16 opening becausewthe magnetizationproduced by 14 will, under the circumstances,

not besufficient 't'o-reduce the total magnet- 2' Tizatiomof thecore.20to a: point where it ;will releasethe spring controlled armaturewith which it cooperates. r f 20 If heengine fails to start and theswitch .40 is released-mfterithe engine comes 'to rest, the automaticswitch-will stay closed if the timer-has stoppedinnits ;.open .-positionand there will bea drain on the battery to the 2 5 rextent-of the'sma'llcurrent taken by thewinding 15. If the timer stops its'closedpositionund. the switch 40 is not released after 4 the engineihas-cometo rest, then ;the.. auto- .matic switch will vibrate runtiLswitch40 is '-.opened.:when the automatic switchwill open !and stay open.In=case the engine. has come 21: ito restwithithetimer Topeniantltheautotmatic switchrihas. cons uence remained s-closdg itr may be'opened: y momentarily 3 zopening -switch.39; it vwill open automaticallyif the engine is moved in any way so as to close the timer, even for aShort period. If theengine is to be crankedtby means of the motor/21 22,thenuswitch 10 is closed, 4 r'whereby'the circuit ofthe cranln'ng motorFaiid the circuit of the shunt winding 15 are both. completed. Theoperation isotherwise switch 40. c After the engine has reacheda-s'ufficient speed, the battery switch 27 closes,- but this -makes-inodiife-re'nce to the operationiof the automatic switch 16. 'When itistdesire'd to stop the engine, it is only necessary to open switch- 39and hold it open for a brief space 7 By placing the timer 7 in aposition within the ignition circuit in which it will interrupt thBCHIIODC throughwthe series winding 14, but not through the shunt winding15 of the automatic switch, I make'the magnetizing value of the currentthrough the winding ltdependent on the en inc speed. This current isthen fully eifective at zero engine speed, but its effectivenessdiminishes with increasing speed for the reason that its periodicityincreases, thus making the shielding effect of Foucault currents moreand more pronounced. Such currents are set up in the core 20 and moreparticularly 15 and the negative pole of a well as throu hft he,windiiig:

,switch, magnetic means holding said switch n. closed POSItIOQ' andiieans reswitch, means operated from the source of inthe shortcircuitedwinding 38. The fact that the magnetizing effect of the pulsatingcurrent in 14 dim nishes with increasing .QtSPQML By locating the timeretw n thewinding hi; battery 8,; as

shown in F 3, said timerwilljnterrupt the current t rou' h the windin,15as, well as thro gh the; Winding .14, an the, current in both of thewindings will ,.b,e, as long as the engine rei olyes. e switc willoperate as before eiiceptth a tgthq automatic switch -will notflstayclosed ,in caseifl the engine. stops with the times. open; and

,switch40. or ,switch 10 is not released after the engine-has come torest. lihelreason for this chan e is that an ,tin er located in thisaternative; positioni interruptsthe current through thewi'ndinglq is :ii Having fu describejd= my intention, what I, claim as new an ldesire'tofsec ure by L e s tl eti i e si d S a y n n'igmt y e tz-prifiwfy e tion circuit I comprising a source of c' ir ent, anignition tirner yancl.afcircuitfcoritro g spending f, to, abnormalcurren in the prim y i i i n! I9. 'i z. H- t a switch. $1 open i i i-91b 3. i ff'fi if is m wwn em ar 11a? e tion circuit comprising aseniriebfcurrent an ignition timer'and a ci itcuitcontrolling switch, magneticmeans normally holding said switch in closed position, and meansresponding to abnormal currc n't"iii the pit mary ignition circuit torender the holding means ineffective. r t u 3. In an ignition system, aprima'ryigni- "the same as explained-in connection with ltion circuitcomprising a sourc e oficuri'eiit,

an ignition timer and i circuit controlling current fornormally holdingsaid switch in closed position, and means responding to ab- ;nOrmalcurrent in "the primary ignition circuit to render the holding meansineffective.

' 4, In an ignition system, a prin ary igni- 'jtion circuitcoinprising asource o;E,ciirrent,

an ignition tii'i'ier and a controlling switch, magnetic means normallyholding said switch in closed positionfmeans responding' toabnormalfcurrent in the primary ignition circuit to causetli'e switch toopen, and 'an auxiliary. switch for opening the primary ignitioncircuit,

5. In an ignitionsy'stein, a primary ignition circuit comprisin a sourceof current, an ignition timer an a circuit controlling switch, magneticmeans normally holding said switch in closed position, means respendingto abnormal current in the primary ignition circuit to cause the switchto and an i nition tiiner, a switch controlling said circuit' and manetic means for operating said switch, said means comprising two windins connected to produce opposing magnetlzations, one of said windingsbeing in series circuit with the timer when the switch is closed. v

7. In'an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit coi'npri'sing asource of current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said'ci'r'cuit, 'm'a' "etic means for operating said switch; said meanscomprising two windin connected to produce opposing magnetizations, oneof said windings being in series circuit with the timer when the switchis losed, and means for connecting the other windilig'ih circuitwith thesource of current to close the switch.

8. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising a sourceof current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said circuit, maetic means for operating said switch, 'sald means comprising twowindings connected to produce opposing mag'netizations, both ofsaidwindings being in circuit with the source of current when the switchis closed and one of the windings being in series circuit with thetimer;

9. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising a sourceof current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said circuit, maetic means for operating said switch, said means comprising two windingsconnected to produce opposing magnetizations, one of said windings beingconnected to the source of current in series with the timer and theother winding being connected to said source in shunt with respect tothe timer circuit.

10. In an engine starting and ignition system, a primary ignitioncircuit compris ing a source of current, an ignition timer and a circuitcontrolling switch, a starting motor and a startin switch therefor, andmeans for closing 516 controlling switch and holdin it closed, saidmeans being controlled by t e starting switch when the con trollingswitch is open and by the control ling switch when said switch isclosed.

11. In an engine starting and ignition s stem a rimar 1 nition circuitcom rising and a circuit controlling switch, an electroa source ofcurrent, an ignition timer magnet for closing said switch and holding itclosed, said magnet being provided with a shunt exciting winding, meansfor connecting said winding in circuit with the source of current toclose the controlling switch, and other means making connection betweensaid windin and said source when the controlling switc is closed.

- 12. In an ignition system, a primary ign-ition' circuit,a source ofcurrent therefor and a. switch controlling said circuit, magnetic: meansfor operating said switch comprising 'two windings connected to producean ignition tiiner and a'controllingswitch, -and an electroinagnet foroperating said switch, s'aid magnet being provided with a shunt'wintling, .a short-circuited winding and a series winding.

14. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising asource of current, an i nition timer and acontrolling switch, an anelectroma net for operating said switch-,"said magne being provided witha shunt winding,- a short-circuited winding an'd aseries winding, saidlast named winding being in'circuit with the ignition timer when theignition controlling switch is closed.

15. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit, a switch forcontrolling said circuit, magnetic means for operating said switchcomprising two windings, means for impressing a substantially constantpotential on one'of said windings, and means for supplying to theother'winding a current of varying frequency.

16. In an ignition system, a primary ignitioncircuit, a switch forcontrolling said circuit, magnetic means for operating said switchcomprising two windings, means for impressing a substantially constantpotential on one of said windings, means for supplying to the otherwinding a current of varying frequency, and means for reducing themagnetizing efi'ect of said last named winding with increasingfrequency.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and afiixed my seal.

VALERE A. FYNN. [1 5.

